France: Student–Police Tensions Escalate, Several High Schools Shut; Tear Gas Fired
Paris, Several high schools across France were closed on Tuesday as student protests intensified, with clashes erupting between students and security forces in the Alpes-Maritimes department. According to broadcaster BFMTV, schools in Paris, Saint-Denis, Grenoble and Lille were affected from the morning. Paris education authorities said about 10 of the capital’s 90 high schools saw…
Paris, Several high schools across France were closed on Tuesday as student protests intensified, with clashes erupting between students and security forces in the Alpes-Maritimes department. According to broadcaster BFMTV, schools in Paris, Saint-Denis, Grenoble and Lille were affected from the morning. Paris education authorities said about 10 of the capital’s 90 high schools saw blockade attempts.
At Parc Impérial, the largest middle and high school complex in Alpes-Maritimes with roughly 3,000 students, pupils tried to block the entrance and set electric bicycles on fire. Police and firefighters intervened, leading to a standoff in which objects were thrown at officers. Police later fired tear gas to disperse the crowd.
Students are protesting overcrowded classes and teacher shortages. Meanwhile, public-sector unions called a strike on Tuesday to pressure the government days before the 2027 budget announcement, planning around 170 demonstrations including in Nice, Marseille, Paris and Toulouse. France’s civil aviation authority has also asked airlines to cut flights at Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Marseille-Provence airports.
